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VORMSUND TEST ROAD- PART 1: DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION

THE PURPOSE OF THE VORMSUND TEST ROAD WAS PRIMARILY TO INVESTIGATE PRACTICAL DESIGN CRITERIA FOR THE STRENGTHENING OF EXISTING ROADS AND FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW ROADS WITH BITUMINOUS PAVEMENT ON A FROST SUSCEPTIBLE SUBGRADE. THE FIRST PART OF THE REPORT DESCRIBES THE DESIGN AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE TEST ROAD. THE TEST ROAD HAVING A TOTAL LENGTH OF 800M, IS LOCATED AT VORMSUND, APPROXIMATELY 60 KM NORTH-EAST OF OSLO. THE CONSTRUCTION WAS CARRIED OUT IN 1957 -58 AND THE ROAD WAS OPENED FOR TRAFFIC IN 1958. THE SUBSOIL CONSISTS OF MARINE CLAY, ON WHICH THREE SECTIONS OF THE ROAD ARE CONSTRUCTED. THE REMAINING FIVE SECTIONS ARE CONSTRUCTED ON LAYERS OF SILT BROUGHT IN TO SIMULATE A TYPE OF SUBGRADE COMMON IN THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY. SILT IS A HIGHLY FROST-SUSCEPTIBLE MATERIAL IN ITS NATURAL STATE. THE SILT PLACED IN THE TEST ROAD IS HOWEVER THOUGHT TO HAVE BECOME LESS FROST SUSCEPTIBLE DUE TO HANDLING AND HAS THEREFORE REDUCED THE VALUE OF THE TEST ROAD TO SOME EXTENT. IN SECTIONS 1 AND 2 THE PAVEMENT STRUCTURE IS DESIGNED TO GIVE EXPERIMENTAL VERIFICATION AS TO THE REQUIRED THICKNESS OF THE SUBBASE ON NEW ROADS BUILT ON CLAY AND SILT SUBGRADES. SECTIONS 3 TO 8 WERE DESIGNED TO INVESTIGATE THE STRENGTHENING OF EXISTING ROADS BY PLACING A NEW PAVEMENT ON TOP OF THE OLD GRAVEL OR STONE BEARING COURSES. PARTICULAR PROBLEMS AND DIFFICULTIES DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PERIOD ARE DESCRIBED TOGETHER WITH THE SPECIAL SOLUTIONS ADOPTED. /TRRL/